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Duchess Sophie's 'frustration' at change she was forced to make upon joining the royal family
May 12, 2025
The Duchess of Edinburgh shares honest reflection on royal transition
Duchess Sophie has opened up in the past about the unexpected challenge she faced when she joined the Royal Family following her marriage to Prince Edward.
Sophie, now the Duchess of Edinburgh, has become one of the most respected and hard-working senior royals. But she has previously spoken about how the shift from private citizen to public royal life was far from simple.
'It took me a while to find my feet'
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The 60-year-old married Edward in 1999 after a career in PR. Her professional background meant she was used to making decisions and leading strategy. That dynamic quickly changed when she became a working royal.
Speaking candidly about the transition, Sophie once said: "The frustration was I had to reduce my expectations of what I could actually do."
She explained: "I couldn't turn up at a charity and go, 'Right, I think you should be doing this', because that's what I was used to doing in my working life."
From strategist to supporter
© Getty Images
Sophie went on to say that she had to “take a really big step back” and reframe her role. Rather than advising, she soon learned that her position was to support and represent.
She said: "They want you to be the icing on the cake, the person to come in to thank their volunteers and funders, not necessarily to tell them how to run their communications plan."
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